Exploring Federation

To meet the pressures of falling rolls, squeezed budgets and challenges in recruitment, many schools are looking at the options that collaboration with other settings can bring.  

Collaboration between schools can take many forms and can offer numerous benefits, but there are clearly significant challenges in finding who would be a suitable partner and how to navigate and agree the partnership. 

Key drivers for collaboration were long-term sustainability, sharing best practices, and, as a small school, taking advantage of economies of scale. 

We recently met with Sian McDermott, Executive Headteacher at Haringey Early Years School Alliance (HEYSA) and her Chair of Governors, Jane Perryman, to discuss the process that led them to establish HEYSA. 

Rowland Hill Nursery School and Children's Centre, where Sian has been the Headteacher for 6 years, was initially approached by Woodlands Park Nursery and Children's Centre, following challenges in recruiting a Headteacher.  

Sian and Jane describe their Headteacher-Chair of Governors relationship as open and honest, which we believe has been key to the development of the federation.  

From the outset, neither school had any interest in academisation and there was a clear intention for thorough consultation with all stakeholders and to work with integrity. Within a short window of time, a soft federation was agreed and Sian became the Executive Headteacher of both schools.  

At this time, Woodlands Park was due to be inspected by Ofsted. This was the first time that the school was due to be inspected under the current Education Inspection Framework, and as result, received focussed work from the Executive Headteacher.  

Significant time and energy were committed to engaging with parents and staff at Woodlands Park, with parents, for example, being given a wide range of times when they could meet with the new Executive Headteacher. 

To evolve governance and the strategic leadership of the school, a shadow Governing Board and working parties were established to consider resources, building, safeguarding and buildings. Additionally, a working party looked at developing a shared vision and values, a name and a logo for the federated schools. 

Just 6 weeks into the soft federation, Woodlands Park received 'the call' from Ofsted.  

In early June 2023, Woodlands Park Nursery School and Children's Centre was judged as continuing to be outstanding, at a time when a one-word judgement was still in place. This successful outcome cemented faith in the new leadership from the staff team.  

In April 2024, it was decided that the collaboration should move to hard federation.  

The GB's clerk was judged to be invaluable in her support with the procedural work required with the DfE and Ofsted. It was noted that this work was significant and time-consuming.  

The federation has worked with an external consultant to develop its vision and values.  

This has recently involved the consultant visiting both sites to determine how the vision and values are being lived in everyday practice across the two sites, and ensuring their consistency.  

The Governing Board is still evolving with the Chair proactively making connections across both schools. There have been additional meetings in the federation's first year, with a focus on aligning policies. 

On reflection, the key advice offered to other school leaders who may be thinking of this route from HEYSA is: 

• Your federation is unique and needs to fit your individual context 

• Moving hearts and minds is so key, but takes commitment, time and energy 

• The work towards federation is best completed by a tight team  

• The clerk and governance professional can/should play a key role in preparing the paperwork 

• Networking with others who have been through the process is valuable 

After the first year of formal federation, the key reflections are: 

• Proactively building connections across the schools has avoided people feeling siloed. Every member of the team has been able to make a meaningful partnership in the other school. This has created real opportunities for staff development and has been appreciated by the team. There has been a real buzz and excitement about this, and it has renewed a passion for sharpening the lens on pedagogy and vulnerable learners 

• There have been opportunities to deliver training for the LA, EY team and to research best practice.  

• The partnership has now developed to feeling like one school over two sites 

• There are some further efficiencies to be made, e.g. one website 

• Financial benefit to both schools of being able to split the EHT's salary 

• With both schools open from 8am – 6pm, 48 weeks a year, the leadership model is challenging, but with greater capacity across the federation now 

• With a slimmer governance structure, sometimes having the capacity to manage issues such as supporting HR issues has been challenging.  

We would like to thank Sian and Jane for their honest reflections, but also their professional generosity. If you are interested in accessing their federation documents, register here.

Anne joined HEP as Lead for Teacher Development, Leadership and Governance in 2022 after several years as headteacher of an outstanding Haringey primary school.